The Zomba Chief Resident Magistrate Court on Wednesday sentenced a 29-year-old man to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for allegedly being found guilty of the offence of child trafficking.

The convict, Christopher Raphael was arrested by Nserema Police officers after getting a tip from the community policing members that he was trafficking three children to Mozambique.

These children were Rashid Idrissa aged 13 from Chipole village, Isaac Chitseko aged 13 from Mwepeta village, and 21 year- old Thomas Brydon, of Chipole village.

During the hearing, Raphael pleaded guilty to the offence and asked for leniency arguing that he was the first offender.

But the presiding magistrate ignored the plea and slapped the convict to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour.

Raphael hails from Junta village, Nyasa Province in Mozambique.